Mimir98's group-CLOSED AGAIN...FOR REAL THIS TIME (Page 26)

Next year you'll have to plan better and spend some time over here with ME!!!! 

OK--- this beginner triathlete is throwin' this one out to the group.......

 what am I going to WEAR next Saturday? I will have all week and all the time in the world to scout out stuff, but right now, I've got NOTHING. Do I want a tri suit? What are my other options? I think I am buying a wetsuit- which I need to get long-sleeved for May-June swimming here (our lakes are still wetsuit legal in JUNE).

 I'm sorta lost here, folks. Help me out.

I wore a long sleeve wetsuit in PCB last Nov.  I have heard about people getting too warm but never experienced it myself.

I like the Tri-Suit as long as I don't need to use the bathroom, otherwise some two piece combination.  At a minimum, I would want some comfortable tri shorts.  For the top, you probably have more options.  At my first race I went topless on the swim (it was a pool swim) and bike and threw on a tank top for the run ( I don't think I would recommend that for you though).

One race I did,  the start temps were in the 40's.  It was my first race in my tri-suit.  I ended up buying a long sleeve C9 (Champion wicking shirt) a couple of sizes smaller than normal so it wouldn't flap around on the bike.  I put that on in T1 and wore it the rest of the way.

Don't know if these ramblings make and sense or provide what you were seeking, but you don't have to have it all as you get started (although it may make you feel more confident to look sharp)

How awesome to be racing in just 2 weeks.... 

I bolded my answer above...I posted within your quote   what a newbie

Kim, I'm honored I now know a celebrity....you've now had your 15 min of fame.   Glad the trip is going well.

Amy,  I would not do the one piece suit either.  It may only be a sprint now but in the future you may want to go longer and not want to invest in more gear.  Get something that will grow with your talents.  I wear tri shorts (very light pad) and a sport bra top usually (like Kim I'm not endowed as you are so that may not work for you. )  I HATE being sweaty and that helps.  However, when my abs aren't in the shape I want I'll wear a fitted tri top.  Whatever I wear I wear it under my wetsuit.  I don't normally put anything else on when I'm done since wet skin and dry clothes make for a VERY LONG transition time.  If you decide it will be too cold to go direct from swim to bike without another top practice coming out of the water and putting the top on. 

Are you buying or renting a wetsuit?  Practice swimming with it.  You feel like a floating ping pong ball.    Get body glide and make sure you put it on your neck, wrists and ankles.  This will help when you take it off and most importantly prevents chafing.  A tip to help you put it on...carry a plastic grocery bag.  Put it on your foot as you put it through the leg and the pull it out the bottom.  It makes it easier to put on. 

Good Luck!!!

Wow, everybody! Good advice! Thanks. If anyone thinks of anything else, just let me know. I plan to really focus on my training over the next two weeks- in addition to the time and the weather, I will also have a live-in nanny in the form of my husband's 15 yo niece that we are bringing. It's gonna be like my own little retreat.

 Now let's hope I can find some good stores that have tri stuff. Shouldn't be a problem I wouldn't think.

Ok, I have to beg to differ...I have worn a tri suit for sprints - Ironman...and LOVED IT...so if you are at all interested in one, I wouldn't totally discount it.  Really, it's not a big deal to use the bathroom IMO.  I find them to be uber comfy and they don't ride up anywhere...I can't do the shorts/ bra thing because, well, my daughter was 3 weeks late and close to 9 pounds at birth and she sort of ruined that for me .  Try some different stuff, see what you like as far as comfort and looks go.

Kim- you look so cute flanked by those old guys!!!  That's odd they made you go to mass!  Was it standing room only like here??   Hope you have a good time and only make the paper for things related to work

Just convinced the boss man to go for a run with me.  I love my job. He will not be happy when he realizes how windy it is. 

I think I have a fundamental character flaw which is I am only good under pressure- as in, somehow, I have waited almost entirely to pack until tonight.  Have pulled stuff out and put it in piles- haven't even gotten out the suitcases, or dealt with any of the real nitty gritty of packing. Oh, well. 

 In other news, I am in desperate need of a pedicure and am in no way sandal-ready.  Other than the fact that I have pulled several pairs out of winter storage.

I am flawed in that way too!  but, for this, I blame my husband.  I *think* we have decided to leave for our trip on sunday, stop in columbia SC on our way, then make the rest of the trip on monday to Aldie VA.

Originally we were leaving on tuesday..then it was saturday until I put the stops on that..now it is sunday AND we get to stop overnight rather than drive the whole 15 hours 47 minutes at once...at least on the way up.  So, I will start packing on saturday...also need an oil change before we go...and have to take my bike in-but not till saturday after I ride it.  AND I should be on my bike right now. 

Have a good run Amy.  I AM GOING BIKING. NOW.

ok Hans...brace yourself

In reviewing your training you seem to to pretty well with staying on target volume wise.  Your run and swim dropped off a bit this month - still have a few days left...otherwise, looking good that way.

I did notice you mentioned your back hurting on  the run. Definitely work on your stretching..I speak from experience, as last year preparing for Disney, I came back from a particular 4 hour bike and literally couldn't stand up straight without pain.  We are not spring chickens anymore, even if we act like it

Looking over your heart rate for the month of March...I am curious how you obtained your run heart rate zones...it seems like they are fairly low, and if so, then you are running too many of your runs in zone 3.  Also, many of your bikes tend to be a few ticks into zone 3 for your average.  It's ok to have some rides/ runs in zone 3, but as a little but reliable bird told me "Zone 2 is where the money is"...you will feel painfully slow at times, but this is what builds the machine.  Here's another quote from that same bird "Save the great performance for race day". 

It is tough to believe running slow can make you faster, but it works, specifically for long distance events.  Think slow twitch.  Teaching your body to use oxygen more efficiently.  I'm not saying all of your bikes/runs are out of zone 2, but a lot are...more than I think should be.   And you aren't WAY out of zone, but enough.  They are set for a reason. 

Let me know about your run zones.  Just by example, my zone 2 on the bike is 133-143 (yours is 134-144) and my run zone 2 is 153-162 (yours is 141-150)...seems low. 

Keep up the solid training.  Work on your nutrition and HYDRATION plan...it is HOT at Disney.  I know you said you have 18 days to acclimate, so that' s great.  I'm just hoping you don't wipe up the floor with me at Disney

The results are in and...............NO stress fracture (at least what they could determine on the X-Rays)......and the diagnosis is a severe case of PF.  Doc showed me a stretch to do and said I "MUST" do it 50 times ady for 30 seconds each. FIFTY!!  Dang, I'll be stretching every 20 minutes during waking hours to get that in!!  He also said he was "alarmed" by a bony protuberance in my right heel (AHA!!, I thought)........but then said he was no longer alarmed when he found an identical protuberance on my left heelbone.  So, quite clearly, I am descended from the Emu family and these objects are the vestigial talons that Emus use to cut their prey to bits.  I'll have to remember that when I'm trying to catch a runner ahead of me........."I am a proud descendant of an EMU, and I WILL catch you!"

 I'm now off to shop online for a Strasburg Sock.......my wife said it's the way to go to keep that sucker stretched out 24/7.

 I'm back in the game, people!!  I will start off with some ten-minute runs on the mill (after stretching fifty times) and build up from there. Bali, here I come!!

Bob,

I am sorry, but the Bali race director issued a press statement saying that while the race is open to the young and old, fast and slow, and fit and fat, it is definitely not open to other species.  Besides, what category would I put EMUs in, "Flightless Fowl" ??

I'm pretty sure Emus are not carnivorous, or even omnivorous, so whoever said the talons are used to "cut their prey to bits", why, that's just crazy talk! 

 According to Mimi, I'm supposed to wear a thong for the Bali tri.  If you've seen Borat, you'll know what I'm really going to wear.......one of those neon green neoprene body slings. That should do it.

  Oh my!! 

Someone yell at me and tell me to go run...I need to run for an hour and a half, but I'd rather lie down on my bed and enjoy the warm breeze coming in my window!!!  I'm not on vacation yet!!  Plus, there will be no warm breezes where I am going

GO RUN MIMI!!!!!!!!

Ok..first PROPS where PROPS are due!!!  You did your first tri, and that deserves a lot of credit!!!!   Yay for you    Goal was to finish and that's what you did...look how far you've come and think about how far you have to go now.

I checked the results from your race.  You are about 7 min from the next competitor on the swim, 19 min on the bike and 2 or so min on the run....So where should the focus be?  How can you shave 12 minutes from now until July?  First of all, it didn't have transitions, but a lot of times you can find a minute or two there ( I know this, I"ve been accused of having a party in T2!!).  Next I would look at the bike...and the swim.  Races are not won, and huge gains are not made in a race on the swim, but not so true on the bike.  Yes, you have to be able to swim the distance and get out of the water without a freaky high heart rate and exhausted, so I would really focus on drill, drill, drill on the swim...

The bike.  I've been told the best way to get better on the bike is.....to bike   So perhaps you need a more bike focused plan for the next 3-4 months?  The run- continue what you're doing, seems to be working.

 Otherwise, you're doing great!!! 

Awww, thanks.  Actually, my party was primarily in T1 -- trying to figure out what to wear for the bike and first putting on long pants (and the sneakers) and then deciding to take them off again.   I also lost a little time in T2 with changing shirts and having to change my race number from the one shirt to the other.  (I have since purchased one of those little belts, so THAT will not be a problem in future races). 

And yes, I will bike.  I'm going to do my best to follow my training plan more closely this go round.  (At least until life interferes)